International Solidarity and making revolution

An important part of revolutionary work is extending expressions of support and solidarity across the world to workers and working people engaged in struggles for a better life, against war and oppression, and for the victory of socialism in their land. But, the main part of revolutionary work must always be making revolution in one’s own country.

It is tremendously powerful for people in the heat of battle to know that their class brothers and sisters far away appreciate and identify with their struggles and sacrifices, and take joy in their victories. This has been the experience of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, against the US imperialist war in Vietnam, against the Zionist occupation of Palestinian land, and against the oppression of workers and peasants in the Philippines and Colombia, to name just a few examples.

In recent years, there has been a focus on Latin American countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Cuba, where socialist-led governments have improved the living standards of the people and have empowered working people to participate in the decisions affecting their lives and the future of their country. In building their new future, these countries and their people have withstood the intimidation, sabotage and interference of US imperialism and earned the respect of people across the world. It is right and fitting to express solidarity with their achievements.

Nevertheless, this is not the main focus of revolutionary work for communists, socialists and others who want to see fundamental change in society. Their first priority must be making revolution in their own country.

This may seem extremely difficult in developed western societies such as Australia, when compared to the excitement of momentous changes rapidly taking place in other countries. But charting the twists and turns in our own country is our main responsibility and the best contribution we can make to internationalism.

Like the comrades in struggle elsewhere, our starting base is to investigate and understand the particularities of our own country; the economic landscape, the social conditions, history of struggle, the political consciousness and fighting capacity of the working class, the balance of class forces, allies of the working class, and so on.

This social investigation is the only basis from which to chart a way forward for revolutionary change in Australia. We cannot apply the blueprint of revolution from another country with different economic, political, social and historical conditions. We study their experience to learn general truths and study Marxism as a guide to understanding. To change our situation, we must apply Marxism-Leninism to the reality of Australia as it really is.

A start has been made. The program of the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist) aims to chart Australia’s road for revolutionary change in Australian conditions. Investigation of our reality has identified the need for revolution by stages – a stage of anti-imperialist, democratic revolution leading to the expulsion of imperialist domination from Australia as the first stage to establishing socialism. With deeper knowledge and practice, the steps along this path can be mapped out, and suitable tactics developed to lift struggle to a higher level.